An Assassin's Creed Story: Altaïr's story
by QuLi
Summary: A disease was slowly spreading through his mind and body. Guilt, it became his new enemy and would haunt him for the rest of his life. Malik, didn't know that this guilt was destroying him. Why would Malik even care? The anger, the hurt he showed when he found his arm and brother gone were burned into Altaïr's mind. No slash!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to Assassin's creed in any way  
**Warning:** Content rating will be announced at each start of a new chapter!

This is my first time writing a story, so don't hesitate to review! English isn't my first language so I do apologize if there are awkward spelling & grammatical mistakes.

This story is based on the AC game

* * *

After the cruel events that took place at Solomon's Temple the relationship that once existed between Malik and Altair was no more.

He wondered if someday Malik would forgive him for his deeds. The loss of Malik's arm and brother were after all…his fault.

**Guilt** had become his new enemy and would haunt him for eternity. Like a disease it slowly spread through mind and body.  
Malik didn't know that this guilt was destroying him. Why would Malik even care?  
The anger and the hurt he showed when finding his arm and brother gone, were burned into Altaïrs mind.

Due to starvation and sleepless nights Altaïr became mentally unstable. Time passed in strange loops until he couldn't have told you what day it was.  
Whenever he tried to rest, Kadar would haunt him in his nightmares . His mind was trapped and caged like an animal fighting for release.

Each night he would scream himself awake, dreaming of Kadar getting killed by the Templars.  
Before a complete darkness would claim him again, he would whisper « I'm so sorry » into the night.

His thoughts were always wandering, thinking he didn't deserve to live anymore. Even thinking as far as ending his miserable life, but he couldn't, not before he was somehow forgiven.

His master, Al Mualim had noticed the change in Altaïr but couldn't care less, he gave Altaïr a new mission. His new goal was to assassinate nine targets which would redeem his honor as an assassin.

One by one he located the targets and killed them with ease. The last target however was Robert De Sable, the leader of the Templars.  
It seems he was going to Jerusalem, where Malik was.

* * *

Starved and exhausted he arrived in Jerusalem. His destination? The bureau.

Slowly he dragged his wrecked body over the roofs into the streets. Just before entering, he took a deep shuddering breath. "This is it." he sighed.

When entering, his eyes wandered to the spot where Malik was trying to figure something out. He knew he needed to confront Malik someday.  
He just couldn't keep on avoiding Malik.  
Hesitation still ruling his mind, he willed his body to approach Malik. "Safety and peace, Malik" he said in a low voice, trying to avoid eye contact.

Malik recognized the voice and immediately glared at him. He felt his body tensing and gut painfully twisting. He saw Malik's expression change into a malicious expression. "Peace?" Malik snorted "I will NEVER have peace as long as you're around!"  
Altair tried to ignore the insult but it caused his heart to shatter. He continued while his heart kept on bleeding, "I have enough information of where Robert De Sable is, and ask permission to assassinate him", he said trying to hide the hurt and tiredness in his voice.

Malik looked up and inspected Altaïr. «Well, seems hiding his emotions also failed.»  
Malik noticed how pale and tired Altaïr looked, a total wreck. This made Malik confused, but he pushed the thoughts away. "  
What's this?" he smirked "Since when does the famous Altair ask for permission?"

Altaïr felt annoyed and wanted to leave the bureau ASAP.  
But Malik didn't seem to stop, "What? No words? Did a guard give you a concussion?"  
Malik's laughter echoed through the room "Pity he didn't stick his sword in that thick pitiful skull of yours!", he sneered.

Altaïr gritted his teeth. He didn't want to argue with Malik, he felt like he didn't have the right to argue back.  
But he kept on talking anyway, "Can I have my feather now?"

Malik continued glaring "Well, why don't you use your own blood on the feather?!"  
This was too much! "What do I have to do to earn your forgiveness?!" Altaïr yelled. Malik's expression turned furious, "How dare…you! After all you have done? Because of YOU, my brother is dead! I wish you had died!", Malik yelled, his emotions taking control of him.

Altaïr was shocked by the despise he heard in Malik's voice. "..I-is this truly what you wish for?"  
Malik ignored the stutter and emotional tinted voice, "Y-E-S, here is your feather!" tossing the damn thing towards Altair's feet and continued working while ignoring the 'famous' assassin standing before him. "As you wish, safety and peace, Malik" Altaïr said in a cold quite voice. He glanced one more time before he opened the door and left the bureau.

"One more target to go…" he sighed.

-To Be Continued-


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the rights to Assassin's creed in any way  
**Sentences in italics are Altaïr's thoughts**

I want to thank Shadowed Novice for doing a fantastic job in beta'ing and co-writing this chapter! Thank you soooo much :3

* * *

_"One more target to go...", he sighed._

Chapter 2

He wasn't surprised when he found a stand-in instead of Robert.  
He did, however, do a double-take when he found a woman standing in his place. _Why would a woman..?! Bah! He didn't have time to ponder over such things!_  
The ensuing confrontation was fierce. The woman's temper just as fiery as her fighting style.

"...but you've already given them one! Nine, in fact. With each man you've slain, you've all but ensured the annihilation of your entire order! Well done!" She sneered, as Altair held the blade to her throat, then blinked in confusion as he removed it and released her from his hold.

"Not nine... Eight. You are not my target. Since I'm not here to take your life, you are free to go, but I do warn you, **do not** follow me!" The message seemed clear.  
If he was delayed for any longer, more blood would stain his blade. The longer the two were in each others presence, the likelier it became that it would be her blood the cool steel tasted.

"I don't need to. You're already too late." Her smile was icy as she turned to run, not hearing Altair's parting words of doubt, "We'll see."

Altair's thoughts, as he scrambled over the rooftops to avoid the guards, were so scattered that he nearly got his face clawed off by a cat when he unwittingly stepped on it's tail. The cat's angred screeches attracted the attention of the archers and soon he was scrambling to avoid not only an angry cat, but the arrows flying through the air as well. The cat had...hitched a ride, and was still hissing and yowling when he fell into the bureau's enclosed garden.

Altair was hopping on one foot, trying to get the cat to detach it's claws from his trousers when Malik came storming out from the bureau, his expression stormy before it changed to one of begrudging amusement at his...frienemy's(?) predicament. _Could his day get any worse?_

"What have you done now, Novice?" Malik asked, an eyebrow raised, his lips twitching, showing his desire not to laugh at the other man's fuzzy ride along.

"Get this thing off me and I'll gladly regale you with the details.", Altair growled with a hint of desperation in his voice. Malik snorted at the spectacle, but kneeled down and plucked the cat by the scruff of the neck. It immediately relinquished it's hold on Altair's leg and twisted in his hold before sauntering up his arm and settling on his left shoulder like a parrot, purring. Malik smirked before shaking his head in mock exasperation.

"Oh, I'm not keeping you, you little devil", he told it before turning his attention back to Altair. Altaïr was glaring at the cat, but then turned his focus back to Malik.

"It was a trap." ,he said. Malik snorted in slight contempt.

"Is that why the funeral turned to chaos? And here I thought you had a death wish. A pity...", Altair hid a wince at the stinging words.

"Robert de Sable was never there. He sent another in his stead. She told me what he plans. Robert rides for Arsuf to plead his case to Richard and Salah-ad-Din to unite against a common enemy. Against us..."

"...Crusaders and Saracens working together? These two men would never-"

"Oh, they would! And we've ourselves to blame." Malik glowered when Altair had cut him off and so started to wave him off.

"They wouldn't have the time to mount a proper attack...Wait,", he froze, "Did you say 'She'?"

Altair had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. Out of everything he told the Dai, the only thing that jumps to his immediate attention is that? Some things never change.

"Yes. It was a woman. Strange, but that's for another time, time which we have little of now. For every moment I delay here, Robert gets ever closer to his goals. I must ride after him immediately."

"And just when I thought there was something else inside that empty head of yours besides your oversized ego! Have you learned nothing in these last months? We cannot act without the master's permission. Do not compromise the brotherhood! You must return to Masyaf!"  
Altair bristled internally at the comment about his pride and rounded on the Rafiq.

"Must you always hide behind words, Malik?! The creed is not some shield! You follow it's tenets and the will of the master blindly. Have you ever questioned whether they were right? With my doubts, I've uncovered many things I'd have missed with such devotion! Things involving the Templars that could make or break this war for the Assassins."  
Altair started heatedly before sighing, "If I return now, Robert will succeed. And I fear we will be destroyed. I will give chase and put an end to him, then ride for Masyaf so we may have answers. Though, perhaps you could go now?"  
Malik's eyes had widened, having been shocked by the outburst, and his jaw doing an impressive imitation of an air-starved fish. After finally gathering his wits, he settled on a carefully neutral expression, giving none of his thoughts away.

"I cannot leave the city without preparations.", Malik said, shrugging.  
Altair gave him an exhausted look. "Then walk amongst the people. Seek out those who served the ones I slew. You call yourself perceptive. Perhaps you can see more to this puzzle than I."

"That remains to be seen. Now be off on your fools quest before I regret trusting you on this. I need time to think."

"Do as you must.", Altair said with the slightest inclination of his head. He turned to leave.

"And Altair?", Malik called and Altair froze in his tracks, but did not face him, fearing the worse. "Try not to get your novice hide killed. You still owe me for losing my arm and brother. I might not hate you, but you are far from my favorite." Altair couldn't help but shiver at the tone Malik used.

"I look forward to it, Dai Malik.", He said, acknowledging his comrade's title. Malik noted Altair's tone and tacked an extra ass kicking on the ever growing list of humiliations Altair had coming in 'divine retribution' as Malik put it.

After Altair left, the cat on Malik's shoulder meowed at him, bringing his attention back to it. It had a peculiar look on it's face, it's rumpled tail twitching in annoyance every second or so.

"I agree. A saint could drown himself in wine and still never have enough patience for that man." Then he blinked. "Oh, dear. And now here I am talking to a cat. Thank you, Altair. I have finally reached bat-shit-insane." The cat meowed cutely and the stare Malik leveled it with started to crumble.

"I'm not keeping you." He said weakly. The cat meowed again and Malik's head dropped as he sighed pathetically. He leveled a weak glare at it and turned to go to his quarters.

"Fine. Let's find you a place to sleep.", he said dismally, and he could have sworn the cat looked smug. Altair was contagious. He shuddered at the thought. One was enough. The world would burn before there were two.

* * *

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the rights to Assassin's creed in any way  
**Sentences in italics are Altaïr's thoughts**

Again thank you for doing a fantastic job in beta'ing and co-writing this chapter! Thank you soooo much Shadowed Novice :3

* * *

_"If I return now, Robert will succeed, and I fear we will be destroyed. I will give chase and put an end to him, then ride for Masyaf so we may have answers. _

**Chapter 3**

After several ambushes by both Saracen and crusader troops, Altair finally reached the crusader camp. Though his welcome wasn't a very friendly one. He was met at the very edge of the camp by the drawn swords of sentries.

"Come no further!", one drawls lazily.

"Hold a moment!", Altair called in slightly accented English, "It is words I bring, not steel!", he raised his hands to show he meant no harm and the sentries reluctantly let him pass.

"Oh? Offering terms of surrender? About bloody time!", King Richard grunted from his circle of soldiers.

"You misunderstand. It is Al Mualim who sends me, not Salah-ad-Din."Altair took a slight step back at the outright hostile suspicion that overtook the king's visage.

"Assassin! Why do you stand before me? Speak quickly!", He hissed. Altair kept his head bowed.

"You've a traitor in your midst."

"And he has sent you to kill me?! I'll not be taken so easily!", Richard placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. Altair raised his gaze and calmly corrected the irate king.

"It is not you I've come to kill. It is him!", Richard visibly relaxed at those words. He raised a hand and the soldiers parted, leaving room for Altair to pass.

"Speak then! Who is this traitor you speak of?", the king asked. Altair stepped forward, into the circle of armored men.

"Robert de Sable, my lord", He said simply.

Richard laughed, "My lieutenant?"

"He aims to betray!", Altair snapped, indignant at being laughed at by this foreign royal fool.

"That's not the way he tells it. He seeks revenge against your people for the havoc you've wrought in Acre. And I am inclined to support him. Some of my best men were murdered by some of yours.", the king crossed his arms.

"It was I who killed them and for good reason! Hear me out! William of Montferrat: he sought to use his soldiers to take Acre by force. Garnier de Naplouse: he would use his skills to indoctrinate and control any who resisted. Sibrand: he intended to block the ports, preventing your kingdom from providing aid. They betrayed you, and they took their orders from Robert."

"You expect me to believe this ridiculous tale?", Richards tone took an incredulous turn. "To believe this tale without proof?!"

Altair bowed his head ever so slightly. "You knew these men better than I. Are you truly surprised to learn of their ill intentions?"  
King Richard mulled this over for a moment before turning to a helmeted soldier with cape.

"Is this true?", he asked simply. The soldier removed his helmet, revealing, to Altair's fury, Robert in all of his bald glory.

"My liege. It is an assassin that stands before us.", Robert's french accent rolled over the circle, "These creatures are masters of manipulation. Of course it isn't true."  
Both Robert's tone and body language betrayed his confidence.

"I've no reason to deceive.", Altair's facade sliped slightly as a pleading look caused Richard to raise an eyebrow in a scarily Malik-like manner.

"Oh, but you do! You're afraid of what will happen to your little fortress! Can it withstand the combined might of the Saracen and the Crusader army?", Robert shouted smugly, a hint of scorn in his tone.

"My concern is for the people of the Holy Land. If I must sacrifice myself for there to be peace, so be it.", Altair forced his face to deadpan, as if his words were obvious and any idiot could see it.

"This is a strange place we find ourselves in... each of you accusing the other.", King Richard observed, puzzled.

"There really is no time for this! I must be off to meet with Saladin and enlist his aid. The longer we delay, the harder this will become.", Robert tried to leave, finally becoming frustrated, only to be halted.

"Hold, Robert."

"Why? What do you intend? Surely you do not believe him?!", Robert asked, a sneer making its way to his face.

"It is a difficult decision, one I cannot make alone. I must leave it in the hands of one wiser than I." At this, Robert smirked and puffed up importantly.

"Thank you, my liege"

"No, Robert. Not you."

"What?! Then who?", Robert promptly deflated.

"The Lord. Let this be decided by combat. Surely God will side with the one whose cause is righteous."

"If this is what you wish."

"It is!"

"So be it." Robert sneered, then replaced his helmet. "To arms, Assassin!"

* * *

To be continued


End file.
